(1) Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a lighting fixture mountable from a suspensory surface.
(2) Brief Description of the Prior Art
Light fixtures, such as incandescent, fluorescent, and the like, are well known to those skilled in the art. Such fixtures normally contain one or more bulbs and can be mounted in the fixture for any number of commercial, industrial and home applications. Many such lighting fixtures find particular application when mounted in or from a ceiling or a structure including T-bar assemblies extending from or mounted just below the ceiling. However, such fixtures may also be positioned from, along on or in a wall, floor, table, or the like, all hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9csuspensory surfacesxe2x80x9d.
Typically, these lighting fixtures, including those generally described above, contain a xe2x80x9cballastxe2x80x9d including a housing therefore. The ballast is the electrical component mechanism, which may contain transducers and the like for receipt of electrical current and transmission thereof in converted voltage and the like through the connector and to the fluorescent or other bulb for actuation purposes. The ballast assembly is typically positioned on one side of a framework and may be assembled within the framework as a component during manufacture or partially of completely provided as necessary during assembly and/or mounting of the lighting fixture to accommodate special features and needs. Often times, the configuration of the ballast and housing within the frame work causes difficulty in correctly mounting the lighting fixture relative to suspensory surfaces, especially when using pendant wires and the like. Since the ballast assembly is located on only one side of the frame in atypical configuration, it is difficult for the fixture to be mounted such that it is in exact horizontal alignment with the suspensory surface, such as a ceiling. Typically, one side or the other will be off horizontal or vertical alignment to some extent.
The present invention addresses the problems set forth above.
The lighting fixture is provided for mounting from a suspensory surface, such as through use of pendant wires, or the like. The lighting fixture includes means for mounting the fixture from the ceiling. A frame having side members is carried by the mounting means. A series of bulb receiving sockets are mounted within the frame. Ballast means in a housing are placed within one side member of the frame and in electric actuatable communication with the sockets. A selectively operable counterbalance means is carried on another of the side members for moving the center of gravity in the fixture to counter the weight of the ballast means during mounting of the fixture relative to the suspensory surface.